Hair Like Snow
by DonTassi
Summary: Jin is your average girl with a funny uncle who likes to tell her stories about the Avatar. The most recent story is one about Aang, but when things twist out of control during the latest tale, Jin learns that not all stories are just fairy tales.
1. Chapter 1

Okay, hopefully it's not horrible; I'm still new to the writing thing . I tried to make sure I did well with grammar and spelling, but if I messed up please let me know. Constructive criticism welcome.

* * *

I had a funny uncle. I suppose there are many out there with a funny uncle; however, I like to think my uncle was funnier. Both in the eccentric fashion and the haha fashion as well. On my sixth birthday he got me a pet, but it wasn't a bird or a cat or a dog. No, it was a panda. One I named Joca. Two birthdays before that though, he got me a staff. One I could use to fight with or walk with if I should choose, though at the time it completely dwarfed me. He said the staff was made out of a special material called Joca, which I've never actually heard of, thus where I got my name for my panda. I always loved receiving presents from my uncle, he gave me the funnest yet strangest of things.

My family didn't approve of him very much, a for a time the only reason he was allowed around was because his brother, my father, thought he was harmless. Things changed, however, when my father passed away. I didn't see my uncle for three years after that. Then he started coming back around, my mother was too scared of the big burly man to do anything drastic like get a restraining order, so she tolerated him. If barely. I loved him, whenever he came by we'd have a game of Pai Sho, and then he'd tell me stories of the Avatar.

The many tales of the Avatar and his reincarnates always fascinated me, but that was about it. I needed to concentrate on the real world after all.

I was walking home from school, my staff strapped to my back like a sword might be. Yeah, I took it everywhere I went. The family didn't exactly approve but for father. He thought it was a good method of protection. And one of the few useful things his brother, my uncle, has ever come up with.

"Hey, Jin!" I turned around smiling in recognition of the voice, it belonged to a close friend, Kai Fong. A spunky but awesome girl.

"Don't forget the concert this weekend!" she called out and I grinned. Kai had started her own little band, and tomorrow would be their first concert.

"I wont!" I yelled back with a wave before turning to go back home. Joca must be driving Mother nuts, probably pacing in the front yard again; and low and behold, I was not wrong. As soon as I was in view Joca ran out of the front yard and charged me, Mother screaming at him to come back, the neighbors laughing, used to it after all these years.

"Hey Joca!" I greeted the huge beast as he leaped at me. I laughed as he basically pushed me down, he was pretty big for a panda.

"Get off of me your furry beast!" I laughed as Joca gave playful growls and, yes, licked my cheek, much like a dog might. Then just to spite me he stretched out and lay down, covering my whole body but for my head.

"Come on boy get up!!" I complained trying unsuccessfully to push him off of me. Joca yawned and looked around, studiously ignoring me. Then mom came up a bit winded.

"Joca! Get off my daughter, off!" she ordered him sternly. He just stared at her blankly and I chuckled.

"Ah its alright mom, don't yell at Joca." I whined from my position on the ground, and under the huge ball of fur and well, muscle. I'm actually kinda comfortable, except you know, my bag is in the road, and my staff's digging into my back . . . But yeah otherwise I was pretty comfortable.

"No its not alright! Your pet just knocked you to the ground and has you pinned! I keep telling you to discipline him but you wont! I swear Jin if you don't get this beast under control soon I will send him to the pound or zoo, or wherever it is these things go!" she snapped back angrily. At this Joca growled, he hated it when ever someone yelled at me, for any reason.

"You see what I mean? Control him Jin, you've got a week." she said before storming off. Mother never liked the idea of a panda for a pet, she'd much rather let me have three dogs and a cat under the same roof. My father was much more taken with the idea. Mom however could never really stand Joca, ever; and this past month she'd kept threatening to get rid of him, or having him put down or this or that, and now I've actually got a time limit.

"Come on Joca, get up boy." I murmured and he complied ambling over on all fours to my bag before picking it up. Joca was essentially a very tame animal. Only my father and I didn't want him to be a perfect house pet, it wouldn't be fair to the guy, so we introduced him to the wild side of his nature.

He had his instincts in tact, and could fight like any panda, become as vicious as any wild one. But pandas in general were also very calm beasts, so its not like we have a monster in the house. But mom doesn't think that, she thinks he is exactly a monster living in the house. Even though, he's not just a great beast and a pet, he's a great watch panda as well. I can't count the times he's scared away burglars, and actually assisted the cops in capturing them. Joca is pretty fast, and pretty strong. He did it all without killing the people either. He has perfect self control for an animal, he's smarter than one might think.

Mom still doesn't see it that way.

Every time he comes racing towards me when I come home, she always thinks immediately thats hes charging for the kill. She always panics, every single time, even though I personally raised him; even though, Dad and I raised him. But she needs to take out her fears and angers, and just about everything else, out on something. And Joca is her scape goat, it's gotten especially worse since dad died and uncle started showing up again.

She's terrified of him more than Joca, she keeps thinking he's gonna steal me away and something terrible is gonna happen. Although my uncle may have a few screws loose, I'm pretty sure he isn't into kidnapping.

I sighed as I reached over and petted Joca's head.

"Thanks boy." i murmured as he carried my backpack for me. He was great like that, Joca. It was kinda like having my own servant, only he was like my best friend. If a little protective, and when I say a little I mean a lot, generally speaking if he can help it, he doesn't let guys anywhere near me. Unless they're family. Which by the way I find hilarious. I think thats the only thing mom appreciates about Joca. I patted the panda's head i walked in the front door of my house.

"Hey kiddo." I looked up and smiled.

"Hey uncle whats up?" I asked taking my staff and setting it on the floor beside me as I sat across from him. Mom was fluttering about nervously in the kitchen while she made tea.

"I think I gave your mother a heart attack. The door was open so I walked in and set up the table." he said with an amused smile.

"Uncle, you're supposed to call before you come over." I sighed as I moved the next piece. It was traditional for uncle and i to go at a game of Pai Show whenever he came over.

"I know sorry." he always said that, but he still almost never called, unless he was saying that he couldn't make it after all which is always a surprise because we didn't even know he was coming in the first place...

"How are you and Joca?" he asked pushing out the next tile. I smiled bemused before placing my lotus tile.

"We're good." I smiled innocently as he looked down at the board and cursed. I laughed

"Jin, don't curse in front of my daughter please." my mother said stepping into the room a moment before disappearing into the kitchen again. She really was nervous around uncle. Encase you didn't notice, Uncle Jin and I have the same name. I was named after him, back when he was still in the family's good graces.

"Right, sorry Rue." he nodded but I could tell he was annoyed. My uncle was a good natured man, but he was also strong and dangerous, maybe one of the reasons my mother was afraid of him, there wasn't really anything stopping him from doing whatever he wanted in this house now that father was gone. But I trusted him. Uncle was a good guy, a little weird, but a good guy.

"So any more stories about the avatar?" I asked him eagerly. So far we had gotten to the part were he recently appeared again, as a boy named Aang. He was stuck in a storm. He'd run away from the monk temples reluctant to accept that he was the one who was gonna save the world.

"Maybe." uncle Jin teased.

"Oh tell me, tell me please!" I said eagerly.

"Jin, I think your uncle should leave." my mother said then and I frowned turning to her.

"But why? Mom he's just gonna tell me another story. It's not a big deal." I said.

"I think he should go." she said firmly.

"Well your mothers right of course, I should go. But how about you come with me Jin? I promise I'll have you back in just an hour or two. I didn't bring the stuff back with me anyway." he confessed.

"Oh mom can i?" i asked turning to face her earnestly.

"I don't think-"

"It's settled then. come on Jin." he said helping me up.

"But mo-"

"Hurry up so I can have you back by dinner."

"wait Jin!!" my mother cried out alarmed as my uncle all but dragged me out the door. Joca gave a whining growl as he tried to come after us.

"It's okay Joca I'll be right back." I smiled at him as I stumbled to keep up with my uncle before hopping in the jeep.

"Later mom. Be back soon!" I called out to her.

"so is it another one of your plays? Is it gonna be a team of actors again or will it be one of your famous puppet shows?" I asked him eagerly.

"You'll see, you'll see. But I promise it'll be so real you'll freak out at first." I just laughed. He always said that. I sat with him a while as he drove out of town, watching the scenery closely before we stopped out before a forest.

"Ha! Uncle, the scenery already gives you away. I can already guess what happens next, Aang is gonna be fine isn't he?" I smirked. My uncle merely chuckled amused. It made me all the more curious, since when was he so secretive? Finally we stopped out on a cliff face.

"Wah! its amazing here!" I cried out looking around.

"Thought you might like it. Your father and I used to sneak out and come down here all the time when we were kids. I believe he showed this place to your mother when the sun set before he proposed." he told me.

"yeah, i heard about that." I nodded looking around as I stepped closer to the edge to look down. Before me stretched out a huge lake, maybe half a mile down from where I stood. And over to my left maybe only just three miles away was a waterfall. It was amazing.

"Isn't there a cave behind that?" I asked my uncle.

"You bet. We'd hike down there and camp out whenever our parents came looking for us. It was the perfect hiding spot. We found it when we were competing to see who could stand beneath the falls the longest." Uncle Jin told me. I chuckled.

"That sounds like something you guys would do." I said bemused.

"Oh really?" Jin raised a brow looking over at me.

"Really." I replied haughtily and he just chuckled.

"Man I missed this place." he said literally just falling back onto the ground.

"Hey! Don't go to sleep! What about the Avatar?" I demanded.

"Just wait a bit. Theres something real cool that'll happen in an hour or so, its perfect for how the story goes." he told me.

"Really what happens?" I asked sitting down beside him. For a moment I thought I saw a flash of guilt, but I couldn't be sure because not even in half a second and it was gone replaced by the same goofy smile I'd always used to see on my father, and still always saw on Uncle Jin. That was something they had in common, their smile. Shamefully, I'll also admit it was another reason as to why I loved my uncle so much. His smile reminded me of Father.

"Oh you'll see." he replied evasively. I sighed, obviously I'd be getting nothing out of him until it happened. Finally an hour had passed and the sun was beginning to set.

"Uncle!" I whined and he merely chuckled.

"You'll see you'll see. So impatient" he said with a smile. I glared at him playfully and he simply rolled his eyes.


	2. Betrayal and Strange Changes

"Oh you'll see." uncle Jin replied evasively. I sighed, obviously I'd be getting nothing out of him until it happened. Finally an hour had passed and the sun was beginning to set.

"Uncle!" I whined and he merely chuckled.

"You'll see you'll see. So impatient" he said with a smile. I glared at him playfully and he simply rolled his eyes.

"Just watch the lake." he said and I stared at him curiously but for some reason uncle Jin wouldn't meet my eyes. I shrugged it off staring intently off at the lake.

"Now where did we leave off? Ah yes, it was the kind of storm that made you think the world was going to hell. The rain slammed down with surprising force and Aang was quickly drenched. He had a hard time gripping the rain soaked rope that acted as Appa's reins." my uncle started and I smiled picturing it in my head. He had a way of telling stories that it always seemed so real.

"The winds quite literally tossed them about, as if they were a sheet of paper caught by the breeze. They tossed and turned, Appa even flipping over a few times as the wind beat at them like a million hammers, roaring in their ears. It was so dark out, they could barely see hand or paw before them except for when the lightning struck, lighting up their surroundings for no more than a second." as he spoke a light flared up in front of me and I gasped, it was bright, with an almost bluish glow.

"It's so beautiful! What is this?" I asked in amazement turning towards my uncle.

"Your destiny." he said quietly and this time I was certain I saw the guilt, as it was now plain on his face.

"Uncle what are you talking about?" I asked him but he didn't answer instead pushing me hard, backwards. I screamed in shock when suddenly a load roar filled the air and my uncle whirled around.

"How did you find us? No Joca! You can't follow her!" my uncle yelled as I witnessed the panda bursting through the trees. He looked exhausted, his fur matted to him in clumps, as if he'd been out in the rain all night, or just maybe was sweating that much from having run all the way here. My staff was gripped tight in his powerful jaws, but I knew it would not break.

"Joca!!" I screamed reaching out for him as I felt myself falling. He leaped at my uncle who stood with his arms spread wide, to block him. But Joca merely jerked his head to the side, and my staff hit him hard knocking my uncle to the side. Joca landed on the edge of the cliff and bounded forward again in one smooth motion as I felt myself being enveloped by the light. And then it was dark. My ears suddenly filled with a roaring, from the wind? I blinked as my clothes quickly soaked through, the wind tossing me about as I fell, whipping my wet hair into my face.

"Joca!!!" I screamed and heard his distant roar. I tried to go towards it, but how could I in this torrent of a storm? And where had this storm come from anyway? Hadn't it just been sunny? And why had my uncle pushed me off the cliff?

Lightning flashed and I screamed in terror as it was literally only a few feet away from me. But in that brief moment of life I spotted Joca with my staff, on something. He seemed to have landed on some sort of six legged monster. And then it hit me. But it couldn't be possible could it? There was no way it was actually a flying bison was it? Joca roared again as I somehow managed to bring myself closer towards the bison and Joca.

"Appa!! Left!!" I heard a shout and saw the bison turn towards me with difficulty as I fell.

"Joca!" I screamed as he leaped off of the creature towards me, possibly trying to fly towards me at the way he moved through the air. I reached him soon and wrapped my arms tightly around the panda's neck so that we would not be pulled apart again as I slipped my staff in place, strapped to my back.

It was in the next flash of light as we fell that I spotted the boy. How could it be? And yet i was certain, he was the Avatar. And he was coming towards us.

"Grab my hand!!" the boy yelled and I hesitated only a moment before reaching out towards him. He slowly pulled us in through the storm, and Joca and I huddled on the bison's back. Joca was only about the size of its snout, so while heavy, we were still light enough to carry.

I screamed again as another bolt of lightning struck to our right. The bison began to descend and I looked on in horror as the waves rose above us. I screamed again when the first wave hit as I clung both to the bison and Joca. another wave crashed over our heads and we just kept going down deeper and deeper. I chocked gasping for air when suddenly a glow surrounded us and the water was forced away. I looked up to see the boy, the avatar, Aang, with his fist pressed together, suspended in the air just above the bison, Joca and me. His arrow tattoos were glowing. It was the last thing I saw before everything went black.

the first thing I noticed was that half of me was freezing, the bottom half. The other thing I noticed was that once again Joca was laying stretched out over my entire body. And the last thing I realized before I opened my eyes was that I was dry. I blinked opening my eyes and stared up at the clear blue sky, completely confused.

"Oh no! Where's the girl!" I heard a voice suddenly cry out.

"Girl?" that _was_ a girl. I noted dryly.

"Yeah she was with me when- Ah!!! The panda ate her!!" I blinked in surprise as I stared at Aang.

"He did not eat me." I grumbled.

"Her head is talking!!" the boy screamed holding out a staff towards me as he backed away eyes wide.

"Joca, get off." I muttered trying to shove at him. Grumbling he complied before flopping down beside me.

"oh he was just laying on you ha ha my bad." the boy said before helping me up.

"That's fine.. Why is it so cold?" I asked hugging myself.

"Because this is the south pole. I'm Katara." a girl introduced herself walking around the corner. It was then I realized I was standing on a giant patch of ice...

"I don't even wanna know." I moaned squatting down as i gripped my head. Joca grunted.

"Neither do I." he said and I froze before staring at him.

"Did you just speak?" I gasped.

"what are you talking about? I didn't hear anything." Aang said looking over at me. Joca stared at me a moment.

"Since when did humans understand animals?" he asked and my jaw dropped.

"You did!! You really did talk!!" I accused pointing my finger at Joca as I jumped to my feet.

"Why haven't you ever before!!" I demanded suddenly.

"Amazing you can really understand me." Joca said standing up and walking over.

"Wait, are you like, talking to that panda?" a boy asked coming around the corner as well. his whole side was green and, um, well gross.

"Woah wait you can understand animals?" Aang asked in awe.

"Um I guess?" I stuttered looking at them all.

"Jin, I'm sorry to interrupt but you have no idea how hungry I am right now. How do we get home?" Joca asked me. I looked around feeling lost.

"I don't know..."

"You don't know what?" Katara asked me.

"How to get home. Uh is there like a town or something nearby?" I asked them

"Well there's our village. We can go there." Katara suggested. I nodded thoughtfully.

"So how are we getting home again?" Joca asked me.

"I don't think we are." I told him and received stares from everyone.

"great, a really weird kid and a crazy girl who thinks she can talk to her panda." stated the boy with the green side as he tried pulling it off. Ugh, what happened to him?

"Sorry um, just ignore me...." I replied a little embarrassed.

"Right. Well come on lets go." Aang said.

"Sure, uh wait whats you name? I'm Katara, and thats my brother Sokka, ignore him he's always rude" the girl introduced herself and her brother. I chuckled

"you already told me your name. And mine is . . . mine is Jin." I frowned at the word. I'd been named after my uncle. My uncle who I had always trusted and who had just recently pushed me off a cliff. Not a pleasant thought.

"Hey wasn't your hair yellow or something before? Or a really light brown or something?" Aang asked me suddenly.

"Yeah oh my god its white!!! How does that even happen?" I screamed tugging at my hair. It used to be a golden blond, now it was granny white, stark white, Joca's fur white. I loved my golden hair.....

"Yes that is odd..." Joca mused.

"My hair is white." I whispered in horror, falling to my knees.

"It's not blond, It's white. As in white. I'm like an old lady now!" I wailed.

"yeah yeah, good for you." Sokka scoffed.

"Not cool, not cool, not cool!!" I whined.

"Um Jin-" Katara started

"look at it its _white_!!" I shrieked showing her my long locks.

"I know I'm sorry but um, maybe we should et back to the village before we all freeze to death." Katara suggested. I nodded mournfully.

"White..." I muttered mournfully as I climbed up on Appa, Joca was already up there.

"I like the white, it looks better on you." Joca said. I sighed.

"Thanks Joca..."

"Come on Sokka." Katara told him.

"Oh no, I am not getting on that fluffy snot monster." Sokka objected. Is _that_ why his side was all green earlier?

"Are you hopping some other kind of monster will come along and carry you home? You know before you freeze to death?" Katara suggested as Aang helped her up. Sokka sighed before climbing on.


	3. Princess

"Come on Sokka." Katara told him.

"Oh no, I am not getting on that fluffy snot monster." Sokka objected. Is _that_ why his side was all green earlier?

"Are you hoping some other kind of monster will come along and carry you home? You know before you freeze to death?" Katara suggested as Aang helped her up. Sokka sighed before climbing on.

"Okay first time flyer's hold on tight! Appa yip yip!" Aang cried giving a flick of the reins. The bison jumped into the air hovered for a moment before doing a belly flop into the water and gliding along.

"Come on Appa, yip yip!"

"Wow that was truly amazing." Sokka said sarcastically.

"Appa's just tired, a little rest and he'll be soaring through the sky. You'll see." Aang said with a goofy smile. One that looked almost exactly like my fathers...

"Why are you smiling at me like that?" Katara asked Aang.

"Oh I was smiling?"

"Argh!" Sokka groaned throwing his head back.

"Ah, I even feel old, I'm so stiff." I grumbled stretching out as we continued on. Joca groaned as well, stretching out his front paws before settling back down between Sokka and I to take a nap. He opened one eye to stare lazily at me.

"Quite stressing out so much.." he muttered and I smiled weakly.

"Sorry boy can't help it." I said patting his head and Joca just grunted closing his eyes. A while later I was relaxing; some how, though I was pretty sure I'd been asleep since the storm, I was still so tired, absolutely exhausted. I shivered a little bit before Joca draped himself over my lap.

"Thanks boy." I murmured.

"No problem.." he sighed resting his head on the edge of Appa's saddle thing.

"Okay whats with the panda bear?" Sokka demanded finally.

"He was a gift, when I was really little. My uncle, Jin, gave him to me." I frowned again at the thought of him.

"Joca isn't just a pet though, he's my best friend." I smiled down at the panda.

"You were named after your uncle? That's neat." Katara smiled at me.

"I guess." I replied softly.

"Some how you don't sound too happy about that." Sokka pointed out.

"Well, I used to be?" I offered up and Sokka merely raised a brow before dropping the subject.

* * *

I walked out of my tent to see Sokka preaching to a bunch of toddlers. Joca, Aang and I had been here at the small water tribe for a little less then a month.

"I gotta go pee!" one boy interrupted Sokka and I giggled.

"Listen until your fathers return from the war they're counting on you to be the men of the tribe and that means no potty breaks!" Sokka growled at them.

"But I really gotta go!"

"Okay okay, who else has to go?" suddenly all their hands shot up and I laughed.

"Whats so funny Princess?!" Sokka demanded of me

"Sokka, why are you trying to turn a bunch of children into warriors?" I asked him bemused.

"Because someone has to defend this tribe and I can't do it all by myself!" he complained. I bet your wondering about the princess bit a few sentences ago. Well I'll explain.

some time after we had first arrived at the water tribe, I'd been attempting to put myself to use and bond with Katara at the same time. I didn't want to be friendless and useless after all. Plus it was a small and poor tribe, and I didn't want to be any trouble.

_**"Great your an air bender, Katara's a water bender, together you just waist time all day long." Sokka scowled and I chuckled.**_

_**"Alright no more playing, come on Katara you have chores." said Gran Gran. I helped Sokka from the snow laughing a bit.**_

_**"Its not funny!" he snapped at me and I smiled before running after Katara.**_

_**"Hey um, can I help you with the chores?" I asked her.**_

_**"Sure!" she smiled at me.**_

_**"Okay great! Only one problem, I kinda have no idea how to help, your gonna have to teach me." I told her and she stared at me a moment.**_

_**"Haven't you ever done chores before?" she asked me in slight disbelief.**_

_**"Um, not really." I smiled sheepishly.**_

_**"Well I guess I can teach you." she said.**_

_**"I'll do my best" I smiled. Actually I just didn't have a clue how exactly to go about it here, back home the setting was a little bit different . . . Katara ended up teaching me how to do a lot of things including washing clothes.**_

_**"Well at least you're a fast learner. But it's funny, how could you have never done chores before?" she asked me.**_

_**"Well, were I used to live I kinda had special treatment." I lied.**_

_**"Wow your like a princess or something, you seriously didn't have to do anything?" Sokka asked coming up beside me.**_

**_"Well maybe not a _princess_, but-"_**

_**"And I mean who gets a panda for a pet! How does that even happen? That'd be like me having a tame polar bear, or a whole heard of penguins." he continued.**_

"_**Sokka-"**_

_**"Your hands they're so soft, even softer than Katara's!" he told me and I blushed a bit as he held them, embarrassed. It was true though I had soft hands, because even though I fought and practiced with my staff I wore gloves with it.**_

_**"Sokka! leave her alone!" Katara snapped at him.**_

_**"All I'm saying is, how do we know she's really not a princess? And her clothes, look they're completely different from anything, even regular earth kingdom clothes or fire nation or air nomads." he finished.**_

_**"Ha ha and well you know princesses should know self defense so they can protect themselves right?" Aang teased pointing at my staff.**_

_**"You guys I'm not a-"**_

_**"Princess Jin it is!" Sokka declared and my jaw dropped.**_

_**"Sokka!" Katara yelled at him for me.**_

_**"What? she's the one who even said she has had special treatment before. She's a princess. Where are you from anyway?" Sokka had asked me.**_

After that Sokka always called me Princess, or Princess Jin. Soon the whole village did, and Aang started to as well. And then every now and then Katara would accidentally say it so I kinda just gave up and let them call me that. Let them think I was a princess.

"Then I'll help." I told Sokka. I liked helping out around here anyway; besides, I can fight.

"You? What can you do?" Sokka asked.

"A lot of stuff, this is my main weapon." I said holding out my staff.

"Well, it is fairly sturdy for being so light." he said examining it.

"Thanks. Hey, wanna train with me?" I asked him.

"_You? train?_ You actually _fight_?" he laughed and I frowned.

"What so funny about that?" I asked him.

"But your a princess! Not only that but you're a girl!" he laughed and I snatched back my staff before knocking his feet from under him.

"I'll just go train by myself then." I huffed before stalking off. After finding somewhere secluded I practiced my stances, forms and each drill that I could remember. After a while Joca came and sought me out.

"You're still at it?" he teased. I smiled a bit.

"Of course someone has to put you in your place." I grinned back at him, suddenly Joca charged me.

"Oh you're on!" I laughed throwing my staff aside as I braced myself for the impact. Naturally of course he knocked me over but using his momentum I threw him off and behind me.

"Ha take that!" I called out jumping to my feet. Joca growled playfully before charging again and leaping onto me. I laughed as we crashed into the snow.

"Ah! Get off you big fluffy monster!!" I cried out in mock terror as I tried to push him off me.

"Ah what are you doing! Get off of her!" I heard Sokka's voice as he charged Joca. We looked up in surprise and Joca just stepped to the side and off of me allowing Sokka to go flying.

"Um Sokka what are you doing?" I asked him.

"That thing was attacking you!" he cried out and I laughed.

"You mean Joca?! No way we were just goofing off!" I laughed.

"How is that goofing off?!? he looked like he was mauling you!" Sokka objected angrily.

"Sokka, I raised Joca myself. He wouldn't attack me out of the blue. We were just wrestling." I told him.

"Who wrestles with a bear?!" he demanded.

"Well I'm not the one trying to turn toddlers into warriors." I snapped. Half amused, half angry. Suddenly a distant red flare went off and I looked up in surprise.

"Oh no." Sokka said, suddenly somber, his spear slipping from his hand.


	4. First Encounter With the Fire Nation

"Who wrestles with a bear?!" Sokka demanded.

"Well I'm not the one trying to turn toddlers into warriors." I snapped. Half amused, half angry. Suddenly a flare went off and I looked up in surprise.

"Oh no." Sokka said, suddenly somber, his spear slipping from his hand.

"What is it? What does that mean?" I asked him.

"It's a flare from an abandoned fire nation ship, if there's any nearby they'll be lead straight to us." he said scooping up his spear again before taking off. "Come on we have to get back to the village!" he yelled running back to his home.

"Joca, my staff!" I called out and the panda bear grabbed it in his jaws before racing after me. I took the staff in hand as we caught up with Sokka, the three of us running for the village.

Sokka and I were gathered with the villagers as Katara and Aang came back.

"Ya Aang's back!" the kids laughed racing towards them as I looked on somberly.

"I knew it! You signaled the fire navy with that flare! You're leading them straight to us aren't you?!" Sokka demanded.

"Sokka, I'm sure it wasn't on purpose, Aang wouldn't do something like that." I tell him.

"Exactly, Aang didn't do anything. It was an accident." Katara said.

"yeah we were on the ship and there was this booby trap and well we . . . we boobied right into it." Aang said sheepishly.

"Katara, you shouldn't have gone on that ship. Now we could all be in danger." Gran Gran scolded.

"Don't blame Katara. I brought her there; it's my fault." Aang said looking down.

"Aha! The traitor confesses! Warriors away from the enemy; the foreigner is banished from our village." Sokka declared.

"Sokka-" I interrupted but Katara beat me to the punch.

"you're making a mistake!"

"No I'm keeping my promise to dad, I'm protecting you from threats like him!" Sokka retorted angrily. At this point I wasn't sure which side to choose when he put it like that, even if I know Aang didn't do it on purpose. So he wasn't really a threat was he?

"Aang is not our enemy! Don't you see? Aang has brought us something we hadn't had in a long time. fun." Katara pleaded with us.

"Fun?! We can't fight fire benders with fun!" Sokka snapped.

"You should try it some time." Aang suggested.

"get out of our village. Now!"

"Grandmother please! Don't let Sokka do this." Katara pleaded.

"Katara you knew going on that ship was forbidden. Sokka is right. I think its best if the air bender leaves." the old woman said firmly.

"Fine! then I'm banished too. come on Aang lets go!" Katara said taking the boys arm and marched over to Appa.

"Where do you think your going?" Sokka demanded

"To find a water bender. Aang is taking me to the north pole." Katara snapped back.

"I am? Great!" Aang smiled.

"Katara! Would you really choice him over your own tribe?" I asked her in shock.

"over your own family?" Sokka added and she froze not moving, her back still to us. Aang walked up to her side and put his hand on her shoulder saying something softly, i don't know what but it made her stay.

"So your leaving the south pole? This is goodbye." Katara said softly. And I lost the rest of the conversation until Aang addressed everyone.

"it was nice meeting everyone. and you too Jin." Aang said with a wave.

"yes, thanks for saving Joca and me Aang." I smiled at him. I wasn't going to go wit him because i wanted to help the villagers defend themselves.

"Lets see your bison fly now air boy." Sokka declared his arms crossed.

"come on Appa you can do it. Yip Yip!" Aang said. Appa just groaned and started walking away instead though, but i knew better, I'd seen him fly personally.

"Yeah I thought so!" Sokka sneered.

"Sokka, let it rest." I sighed in slight annoyance.

"Ah!!!" on of the village children, Yin ran forward.

"Aang don't go! I'll miss you." she said.

"I'll miss you too. come on boy." Aang said turning Appa away. Gran Gran walked up to Katara as I took Yin in my arms walking back into the village.

"Are you happy now! There goes my one chance at becoming a water bender!" I heard Katara shout. I sighed.

"Alright men! Ready our defenses the fire nation could be here at any moment now." Sokka said directing all the little boys.

"But I gotta-"

"And no potty breaks!" Sokka growled and the boy ran after the others.

"Is Aang gonna come back?" Yin asked me.

"I don't think so Yin, banished means your not allowed to." I told her.

"Will he get into trouble if he does?" she asked me.

"Maybe, it depends on why. I hope not, if he does comeback." I told her.

"Me too. He better come back soon." Yin said and I smiled.

"We'll see." I tell her, i didn't want to lie and say he would, but I didn't want to depress her and say he wouldn't.

"The snow, its dark." Joca told me, and indeed it was. I looked up to find that the snow falling was mixed with ash. I could think of only one reason for the air to be mixed with ash, there had to be a fire. but since this was a south pole a fire like this could only mean one thing....

"Sokka!" I yelled.

"I know!" he cried out running from his tent to go position himself on the wall.

"Go inside Yin." I said putting her down by a tent as I pulled my Joca staff from my back as I waited just before camp for the fire nation soldiers. As the fire nation ship approached, the ground began to shake, cracks forming as it opened up.

"Sokka get out of the way!!" Katara and I screamed at him as I ran a little boy to the tent after he'd fallen. But Sokka didn't move, instead the wall he was on crumbled and he slid down the snow on a small rock of ice. Everyone came back out of the tents, peeking around igloos to stare at the huge ship. Then its hull opened up as a plank, slamming down into the ice knocking Sokka back. Down the 'plank' came a boy in fire nation clothing, six men behind him. The boy was either my and Sokka's age or a year or two older. Suddenly Sokka charged, his club in hand but the boy simply kicked it out of his hand then kicked him to the side where Sokka landed head first into the snow drift. I gripped my staff a little tighter, standing my round beside the villagers.

"Where are you hiding him?" the fire nation boy demanded as I stood uncertainly with my Joca staff before me. Hiding who? And then I realized, the Avatar, he must mean Aang... No one answered, the boy reached forward and grabbed Gran Gran.

"He'd be about this age! Master of all elements!" he said shaking her a little. I knew he was talking about Aang then, but really Aang was what, twelve?

"We aren't hiding anyone. Let her go." I ordered him. He did, before shooting a blast of fire over our heads. I cried out ducking. I absolutely despise fire.

"I know your hiding him! Don't bother trying to lie." he said angrily. Suddenly Sokka charged again yelling. Only to be flipped over the boys back and dumped in the snow. But rolling to the side he quickly threw his boomerang at the fire nation boy who dodged, of course.

"Show no fear!" a little boy called out tossing Sokka a spear. He charged forward but the boy simply broke of two pieces of the spear before hitting Sokka in the head with it a few times knocking him over. The boy then snapped it in half tossing them into the snow.

'okay my turn.' i thought with a smirk. 'or not yet' i hesitated spotting the boomerang in the distance. It came whistling back and smacked the boy in the head. H e growled fire daggers appearing in his hands.

"my turn." I said stepping forward.

"what! Wait Prin- I mean Jin! You can't- or you can..... " Sokka trailed of stupidly as I knocked the boy to his feet. He'd thought he could brake my staff the same way he had Sokka's spear, but it was a completely different material. The soldiers charged in then and I swung my staff around knocking them back, hitting the helmet off a few.

"Get her!" the boy growled and they were back on their feet again. Swinging my staff I slammed it into the ground and lifting my feet 'ran' in a circle my feet pounding into their chests.

"Joca!" i cried out for his help, their armor was too tough for me to do any damage without actually stabbing with the sharp ends of my staff, and then they'd end up overwhelming me with numbers. A roar filled the air and the children cheered as Joca charged coming to my aid.

"What happened to being the mighty warrior?" Joca teased though to everyone else it probably sounded like a series of growls and grunts.

"Oh shut up you giant ball of fluff." I snapped with a smile as I knocked back the next soldier, this time though they attacked with fire.

"Ah!" I cried out ducking in alarm as Joca dodged but his fur had caught, quickly I scuffled my staff through the snow throwing it on him putting out the fire.

"Get out f here!" I yelled at Joca and he hesitated before retreating at a run. disappearing off in the distance. I grinned relieved I wouldn't have to worry about him getting burned,before being tackled from behind.

"Get off!" I kicked out as they ripped my staff from my hands. Suddenly Aang came flying down on a penguin and knocked the fire nation boy off his feet, he slid in the snow before his helmet landed on his butt.

"Nice!!" I laughed forgetting momentarily to struggle as the kids cheered him on.

"Hey Katara, hey Sokka."

"Hi Aang. Thanks for coming." Sokka said kinda depressed like.

"Um where's princes?" Aang asked.

"Over here." I sighed. He nodded. Aang turned and slammed his staff into the snow throwing it up with his air bending, covering the fire benders.

"Cold!!" I complained.

"Oops." Aang shrunk back sheepishly a moment before I shrugged as they shook the snow off.

"Looking for me?" Aang asked the fire nation boy.

"You're the air bender? You're the avatar?!" the boy asked in disbelief.

"Aang?" Katara gasped.

"No way." Sokka gapped.

"I've spent years preparing for this encounter. Training, meditating. You're just a child!"

"well you're just a teenager." Aang pointed out. The fire nation boy's response was a blast of fire that he blocked by twirling his staff. Aang blocked blast after blast, moving in front of the villagers so they wouldn't get burned. Then one was too big. the villagers cried out, ducking a little as Aang tried to block it not to perfectly.

"If I go with you will you promise to leave everyone alone?" Aang declared sticking his staff in the snow and my eyes widened as the fire nation boy nodded.

"Aang what are you doing?!" I yelled at him struggling against their grip, but it was no use, I may be stronger than your average girl but I really wasn't all that strong. Aang began to follow them into the shit.

"Hey wait you promised to leave everyone alone!" Aang objected as I was shoved after him.

"Unfortunately for you, she's not everyone. I can't have you trying to escape my ship." he replied simply.

"So what, I'm like insurance?" I demanded angrily.

"Yes." the boy deadpanned. I growled trying to throw the soldier off of me but to no avail .

"These staffs will make an excellent gift for my father. Though I suppose you wouldn't know of fathers, being raised by monks." the boy sneered at the avatar.

"Hey that staff was my gift! You can't just give it to some one else! Why would you want to anyway?" I protested

"Because it didn't break when I slammed it against the ship and its extremely light. What is this made of anyway?" he asked me but I heard nothing else after slammed against the ship bit.

"You tried to break my staff?!?!" I shrieked. "I'm gonna kick your ass! Just wait you jerk!!!" I yelled at him struggling furiously against the guards.

"Take them to the prison hold. And take this to my quarters." the boy instructed as he handed an old man the staffs.

"Argh! let me go!" I yelled before being dumped in a room.

"And keep quiet." the guard ordered before slamming to door.

"What you're not gonna put us together? Aang!!" I yelled as I slammed my fist on the door.

"Don't worry I'll figure something out!" he called back and I nodded in acceptance before looking around the small room. There was a simple blanket in the corner, but otherwise it was completely bare, I took that to mean we go potty breaks... I waited a few moments before trying to get the guards attention.

"What?!" he finally snapped back at me.

"Um I gotta use the bathroom." I told him.

"Well hold it." he grunted.

"But I've been! I was gonna go before you guys attacked the tribe but well you guys kinda attacked!" I yelled angrily.

"Alright fine just shut up!" he growled unlocking the door. Okay now what? I wondered as he slid it open. Suddenly he was blasted down the hall and into a wall. I poked out my head.

"Aang?" I asked as the wind settled.

"Oh good your out, Princess. Come on we need to find our staffs and pronto." he said and I smiled.

"How did you get out?" I asked him.

"I never got in! I just kinda blew them away." Aang laughed.

"Man you and Joca are always saving me." I said running after him, checking room after room, me the right him the left. Next I opened a door with an old man.

"Sorry." I whispered before closing the door softly and checking the next.

"Aang look! Our staffs!" I told him.

"Really? Great!" Aang said happily as we walked into the room. Suddenly the door slammed shut and I stiffened, freezing in place.

"I'm not going to like what I see if I turn around am I?" I asked Aang who already had turned around.

"Not likely." he replied grimly.


	5. Escape

Suddenly the door slammed shut and I stiffened, freezing in place.

"I'm not gonna like what I see if I turn around am I?" I asked Aang who already had turned around.

"Not likely." he responded.

"Looks like I underestimated you." the boy from before said as I turned around. I screamed as he threw a blast of fire at us before I ran and grabbed my staff, facing him nervously. I hated fire absolutely hated it!

When my father died, he died saving me from a burning building, our house actually; Joca, mom, my father and I were trapped inside. He helped mom and Joca, I wouldn't go unless I knew my panda was safe, then it was just the two of us trying to find our way out. We did, only a beam collapsed on my dad and I couldn't pull it off because it was on fire, and I was too young to be able to manage it anyways. He burned trapped inside the building when a fire fighter came and grabbed me kicking and screaming. they couldn't rescue him after that, the place had pretty much collapsed the second I got out side.

"Princess watch out!" Aang yelled and I snapped to attention eyes widening in fear as I threw myself to the side dodging another blast of fire.

"Thanks Aang." I whispered facing the fire nation boy more alertly now. He focused on Aang then and I came up behind him.

"Don't even try it." he said putting his hand behind him and blasting fire at me. I dodged with a yelp but attacked his legs making him trip. He grunted before jumping back to his feet and blasting fire at Aang and I both. Me on his left Aang on his right. Aang dodged again throwing up an air ball that he rode around the room while I attacked the boy. Suddenly getting smart he shot flames at the air ball which ate up the oxygen and knocked Aang over. He shot another blast toward Aang just as I slammed into his side making him miss as Aang leapt up behind the tapestry flipping over it and grabbing the top he tossed the other end to me and we quickly wrapped it around the Fire Nation boy.

Aang then snatched up his staff, but the fire nation boy simply enveloped the tapestry in a burst of flames, now free. I stared on nervously as Aang walked around him before suddenly motioning to the side with his staff. The mattress on the ground flew up and slammed the boy into the right wall. It fell back to the ground, the boy plopping weakly on top of the mattress. With another wave of his staff, Aang sent the mattress into the air with his bending, smashing bed and boy into the ceiling.

"Come on!" I yelled opening the door and racing out of the room.

"This way!" Aang said taking the lead; I ran after him shoving my staff back into the straps on my back.

"Grab on!" he said.

"Are you crazy!" I balked at the railing, we were on the top of the ship, and it would be a _long_ drop if I was to heavy to carry. I knew he could fly himself but. . . .

"Come on!" Aang hurried me and I grabbed his waist before we jumped and Aang began to fly us away, albeit a little slowly. Suddenly my foot was caught as the boy from before jumped after us and grabbed me. Aang struggled but we were falling too quickly to be able to get off the ship, so I released him. I can't let the Avatar get caught no mater what.

"Princess Jin!!" Aang screamed as I fell on top of the fire nation boy.

"Get out of here!" I yelled at him but he turned around instead.

"I'm not leaving without you!" he said firmly as he landed.

"Get off!" the boy suddenly growled shoving me away. A loud growling roar filled the air, it sounded oh so wonderfully familiar.

"What is that?" the fire nation boy asked as I looked up while climbing to my feet.

"Appa!!" Aang cried happily.

"And Joca!" I gasped with a grin as I spotted the panda bear on his back. Without warning the boy shot a blast at Aang who barely blocked it jumping up in the air as he was knocked back.

"Aang!" I cried out as he leaned over the ship but caught his balance facing the boy again. I pulled out my staff to go help but soldiers joined us on deck and I was left fighting them instead of helping the young Avatar.

"Aang no!!" I heard Katara scream and I turned in time to see him fall off the ship.

"Aang!!!" I screamed knocking back the soldiers as I ran over to the side to look over.

"Aang!! Aang!!!" I screamed when suddenly the water bean to glow and I backed away as he came up, tattoos glowing again, a tornado of water below his body washing him up onto the ship and he bended it around him. Quickly I got out of the way as he whipped it about knocking everyone else off of the ship. Dashing forward, I caught Aang before he hit the deck.

"Aang!" Katara cried out in alarm, coming beside me, Sokka on my left.

"Are you okay?" she asked as I looked on concerned.

"Hey Katara, hey Sokka, thanks for coming" Aang said hoarsely. I smiled a bit, relieved.

"Well I couldn't let you have all the glory." Sokka shrugged with a smile.

"I dropped my staff."

"Got it." Sokka volunteered as he ran over.

"Ha!! Thats from the water tribe!!" I heard Sokka yell. I shook my head helping Aang onto Appa.

"Hey Joca." I grinned at the panda and he grunted "Hey."

"Joca brought Appa for us so we could go after you guys." Katara explained. I smiled.

"Good job Joc- Katara behind you!!" I cried out and she looked to see the soldiers advancing.

"I got it." she said as I reached for my staff. Katara bended the water and tried to get them but instead froze Sokka's feet behind her.

"uh-" I started as they continued to advance, growing cocky when they realized she wasn't a very experienced bender.

"I got it!" she insisted, turning around and doing the same thing, freezing them completely in ice, one fire benders hand just inches within grabbing her. I chuckled

"We definitely need to find you a master." I told her.

"Hey I got it didn't I?" she pouted and I smiled at her.

"Hurry up Sokka!!" she yelled at him.

"I'm just a guy with a boomerang, I didn't ask for all this flying and magic." I heard him mutter as he used said boomerang to get himself free before running up Appa's tail to join us.

"yip yip! yip yip!!" Sokka cried out urgently and Appa took off.

"Shoot them down!" I turned in horror to see that boy and the old man from before shoot a horrendous fire ball at us. Aang came forward though and swung his staff using his air bending to knock back the fire into the side of an ice berg, spilling ice and snow onto the ship, trapping them there.

"Sweet!!" I laughed along with them as we settled back down while Appa flew on.

"How did you do that?! With the water! It was the most amazing thing I've ever seen!" Katara said eagerly.

"I don't know, I just, did it." Aang replied.

"Why didn't you tell us you were the avatar?" Katara asked him.

"Because . . . I never wanted to be." the boy sighed, face somber.

"But Aang, the world's been waiting for the avatar to return and finally put an end to this war." Katara told him.

"And how am I going to do that?" Aang asked.

"According to legend you need to first master water, then earth, then fire right?" Katara said.

"Thats what the monks told me." Aang replied.

"Well if we got to the north pole you can master water bending."

"We can learn it together!" Aang said brightening.

"And Sokka I'm sure you'll get to knock some fire bending heads on the way." Katara told him.

"I'd like that, I'd really like that." Sokka smiled.

"And I'd like to stick with Aang if thats alright." I added.

"More than alright, Princess!" Aang beamed at me.

"Then were in this together." Katara confirmed.

"Alright but before I learn water bending we have some serious business to attend to." Aang said wielding a map.

"Here, here, and here." Aang said pointing to different spots on the map. I looked over it eagerly as Joca yawned.

"You and I both know its not gonna be serious," Jocca said, "we've been following his life and all his past lives through your uncles stories remember?" I smiled knowingly.

"Whats there? " Katara asked Aang.

"Here we'll ride the hopping Llama's. Then way over here we'll surf on giant Koi fish. Then all the way back here-"

"Well ride the hog monkeys right?" I asked eagerly having heard all about them before.

"Exactly. They don't like people riding them-"

"But thats what makes it fun." I giggled and Aang grinned broadly at me.

"Oh yeah I've been wondering about this whole war thing, I mean I heard of the possibilities of one stirring up but none actually started." I frowned.

"Oh didn't Aang tell you? Apparently you guys were in that ice berg for a hundred years. That's how old the war is and neither of you guys knew about it." Katara told me. I gasped horrified.

"You mean I'm a 115 and fifteen year old woman now?!?!" I shrieked, no wonder I had white hair!!! "Aang!!!" I yelled turning on him furiously.

"I didn't mean to!!" he cried out hands up in his defense.

**with Zuko-**

"Wait uncle, did the Avatar call that girl _Princess_?" I asked in realization.


	6. The Southern Air Temple

"Wait 'till you see it, Katara!" Aang exclaimed.

"Let me guess, the air temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world?" I asked him with a smile.

"Ya! How do you keep doing that Princess Jin?" Aang asked me as he tossed a sleeping bag to Katara who packed it away.

"Yeah that's kinda creepy, how you keep finishing his sentences." She pointed out.

"Sorry, but I can't help it; Aang, you're just so predictable." I laughed at him. Of course this was only so because I was intimately familiar with his past and past lives.....

"Am I really?" Aang asked Katara.

"Not to me." she said and Aang shrugged.

"But anyway, you'll love it there." Aang told Katara.

"Aang, I know you're excited, but it's been a hundred years since you've been home." Katara told him.

"That's why I'm so excited!^^" Aang replied.

"It's just, a lot can change in that time." Katara added on.

"I know but "" _I need to see it for myself. Stop doing that Princess Jin!!"_ Aang and I said together before laughing; Katara just shook her head, a small, amused smile tugging at the corner of her lips.

"Wake up Sokka!" Aang encouraged as he walked over to the sleeping boy.

"Air temple, here we come!" I told him eagerly.

"Ugh, sleep now, temple later." Sokka groaned before going back to sleep, loud snores emanating from him. Aang and I shared a look, brows raised. Then I got a wicked idea and picked up a twig. Aang nodded eagerly and held out his hand wanting to do himself.

"Sokka! Wake up!" Aang cried out trailing the stick over his sleeping bag.

"There's a prickle snake on your sleeping bag!" I cried out and Sokka jumped up.

"Ah! Get if off!!" Sokka screamed hoping around before tripping on a rock and falling face forward. Katara and I laughed.

"Great, you're awake; lets go." Aang said happily.

"I hate you." Sokka grumbled, I chuckled.

"No you don't." I said cheerfully.

"Quite picking on the guy." Joca scolded me lightly, amused, as Sokka got up and handed Katara his sleeping bag before climbing up onto Appa; I climbed on after him.

"Wait what about breakfast?!" Sokka asked in alarm.

"You slept through it, just find something." I told him as I snuggled up next to my panda. Sokka grumbled something unintelligible, but decided to look for food anyway. Sometime latter his stomach growled.

"Hey stomach, be quiet alright? I'm trying to find us some food." Sokka said before rummaging around some more.

"Hey! Who ate all my blubbered seal jerky?"

"Oh that was food?" Aang asked guiltily.

"We used it to start the campfire last night." I said.

_"sorry,"_ Aang and I apologized together.

"You what?! Awe no wonder the flames smelled so good." Sokka whined. I chuckled, but moved in closer to Joca for warmth, the constant blowing wind from our altitude and the flying was beginning to make me cold. My school uniform was not the warmest thing around.

"The Batolla mountain range! we're almost there!" Aang exclaimed excitedly, and I sat up a little straiter, eager to see it, as Katara began to speak to him about something. I'd heard so many stories from my uncle about this place so I was pretty excited. I winced at the thought of uncle Jin, but quickly put it out of my mind, wondering just how the temple would look in real life.

"There it is, the southern air temple." Aang said, bringing me from my imaginings.

"Aang! It's amazing!" Katara cried.

"We're home buddy, we're home." Aang said with a smile, patting Appa on the head.

"Wow, you guys make good architects or something." I said taking in the amazing sight, the buildings were beautiful, even after a hundred years of neglect, they were art in 3D.

"heh, I guess." Aang grinned at me. Soon we had landed and were walking up the side of the cliff paths.

"You know this reminds me of back home." I said, minus the gorgeous temple of course.

"You used to live in the mountains?" Aang asked me.

"Yep, they went really high and it was green everywhere, a forest in the sides of the mountain, there was even a lake too, by the cliff side. It was wonderful." I said with a smile.

"Neat!" Aang grinned at me.

"So where do I get something to eat?" Sokka asked.

"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an air bender temple, and all you can think about is food?" Katara demanded incredulously.

"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs." Sokka said before griping his stomach as it growled.

"So that's where my friends and I would play air ball, and over there is where the bison would sleep, and." Aang faltered, sighing.

"What's wrong?" I asked him.

"This place used to be full of monks and lemurs and bison, now there's just a bunch of weeds. I can't believe how much things have changed. " Aang said.

"So uh, this air ball game, how do you play?" Sokka asked. Soon Aang was going up against Sokka for the second time in the game. Aang shot the ball with his air bending making it flit through the poles and hit Sokka in the stomach knocking him through the hoop. Aang and I laughed.

"Aang seven, Sokka zero!" Aang cried out.

"Sokka at least I got a point!" I laughed, it was true, I'd just return the ball by whacking it with my staff; even if that had been more like a fowl than an actual point. . . .

"Aang, there is something you need to see." Katara said and I looked over at them as Aang walked over, the ball under one arm.

"Okay, what is it?" he asked and suddenly Katara moved her arms and the snow covered up something on the ground, and landed on her brother. . . .

"Uh just a new water bending move I learned." Katara told him.

"Nice one, but enough practicing, we have a whole temple to see." Aang said cheerfully before leading the way on. I followed after them, shrugging off Katara's weird behavior but stopped when I heard something disturbing.

"Katara, fire benders were here; you can't pretend they weren't." Sokka said seriously.

"I can for Aang's sake. If he finds out the fire benders invaded his home, he'd be devastated." Katara said

"She's right you know, he'd flip. Aang is a naturally happy person, something like this would destroy him." I said.

"Ah! You heard?" Sokka asked, startled and I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, now come on, we better catch up to him." I said, and then, as if waiting for his cue, Aang called to us.

"Hey guys! I want you to meet somebody." Aang said standing before the statue of a monk.

"Who's that?" Sokka asked.

"Monk Shiatsu, the greatest air bender in the world. He taught me everything I know." Aang said before bowing in front of the monk a long moment. I bowed to, out of respect of both the monk and Aang, who obviously thought so highly of him. I sighed as I straightened up, wishing Joca had followed us up here, but he had opted to stay with Appa.

"You must miss him." Katara said stepping up beside Aang as he finally stood up.

"Yeah..."

"Where are you going?" Katara asked as he walked up a set of steps.

"The air temple sanctuary, there's someone I'm ready to meet." Aang said and we followed him up to a large door.

"But, Aang, no one could have survived in there for a hundred years." Katara told him.

"It's not impossible, princess Jin and I survived in an iceberg for that long." Aang disagreed with a shrug.

"Good point." Katara allowed.

"Wonderful, remind me how old I am, please." I said sarcastically, my arms folded, Aang laughed.

"Sorry Princess; but guys, whoever's in there might help me figure out this avatar thing." Aang said excitedly.

"Yeah, and whoever's in there might have deliciously cured meat." Sokka said eagerly rubbing his hands together as he licked his lips. He rushed forward and charged the door only to smack against it when it didn't budge even a centimeter. Pressing his back to the large doors Sokka shoved uselessly at them before slumping to the ground.

"I don't suppose you have a key?" Sokka asked.

"The key Sokka, is air bending." Aang said before taking up his stance and blowing air through the horn holes in the door. They opened one by one before the door itself swung open.

Aang lead the way inside the dimly lit chamber. We walked forward immersing ourself amongst thousands of statues.

"Statues?" Sokka groaned. "That's it?! Where's the Meat!" he whined. I gave a slight chuckle and continued following after Aang and Katara.

"Who are all these people?" Katara asked.

"I'm not sure, but it feels like I know them somehow" Aang stated.

"Look, that one's an air bender." Aang pointed to one of the statues.

"and that one's a water bender." Katara pointed to the one next to it. "They're all lined up in a pattern. Air, water, earth and fire."

"That's the Avatar cycle." I said in surprise.

"Of course," Katara said, "they must be Avatars. All these people are your past lives, Aang."

"Wow! There are so many." Aang said in awe as he began looking around.

"Past lives?" Sokka scoffed. "Katara, you really believe in that stuff?"

"It's true." Katara said.

"When the Avatar dies, he's reincarnated into the next nation in the cycle." I explained to Sokka.

"Exactly." Katara said arms crossed, chin raised. Katara and I walked over to Aang but out of the corner of my eye, I saw Sokka making the crazy sign, twirling his finger as it pointed to his head. I glared at him and he stopped immediately, jumping back with a guilty expression. My eyes narrowed as I pointed first at myself with my index finger, then at him with two fingers, universal for 'I'm watching you.' Sokka sweat dropped and shuffled a few feet away from me.

"Aang snap out of it!" I heard Katara order worriedly. I looked over in concern and saw her shake Aang's shoulders.

"Huh?" he asked.

"Who is that?" Katara asked.

"That's Avatar Rouku." Aang said. "The Avatar before me."

"You were a fire bender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met." Sokka said coming up behind me.

"There's no writing, how do you know his name?" Katara asked.

"I'm not sure. " Aang said with a content smile, unconcerned by this at all. "I just know it somehow." he shrugged. Sokka groaned, crossing his arms.

"You just couldn't get any weirder." he said. A strange noise came from behind us and we all stiffened momentarily before turning around. A shadow appeared in the door way, with pointy ears or some such, resembling that of the fire nation helmets.

"Fire nation." I breathed in alarm, had they already caught up to us? Aang and Katara hid behind one statue, sitting next to each other as Sokka grabbed my arm and pulled me down next to him, both of us crouching, in preparation to spring into action if we have to fight.

"Fire bender, nobody make a sound." Sokka whispered over to Katara and Aang.

"You're making a sound!" Katara retorted in a loud whisper before we all shushed her. Sokka slowly stood up, and I slid my staff from my back holding it before me, still in a crouch.

"That fire bender wont know what hit him." Sokka said quietly as he brandished his club, preparing to strike.


	7. Breakdown

**Sorry I took so long, I was being more meticulous than usual, trying to catch all my mistakes; but still, don't expect it to be perfect.**

**now, a certain review came to my attention and left the question, how exactly is Jin here and why did her uncle know about that portal? well, I'll make a poll since I have two ideas for that(don't worry it wont give away too much unless you are either extremely intuitive/not an idiot or can read minds^^, oh and don't be offended if you can't read much into the poll, I tried to make it as vague as possible. One more thing, since I've no idea how to make a real poll on this site it'll be on my profile so just message me with your choice. After a week or two I'll have an answer, and be quick because depending on your answer it'll decide how I write the next chapter^^**

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"You're making a sound!" Katara retorted in a loud whisper before we all shushed her. Sokka slowly stood up, and I slid my staff from my back and held it before me, still in a crouch.

"That fire bender won't know what hit him." Sokka said quietly as he brandished his club, preparing to strike. The shadow began approaching us slowly. When Sokka judged it was in reach, he jumped out, ready to attack, but faltered, startled. I hesitated before coming out beside him, Aang and Katara poking out their heads as well, and we all stared for a moment or two trying to register the lack of danger and that we'd just made fools of ourselves, being worried for nothing. Of course the fire nation wouldn't have caught up so easily, not only had we been flying but we were at the top of a tall mountain range.

"Lemur!!!" Aang and I shouted excitedly causing the small monkey like creature to tilt it's head to the side at us, as if to say, _'you guys stupid or something? What else would I be?'_

"Dinner." Sokka said, drolling slightly.

"Don't listen to him." I say glaring at Sokka.

"You're gonna be my new pet." Aang said.

"Not if I get him first!" Sokka declared, lurching toward it as the poor lemur realized the danger and took off the way it had come.

"Sokka no!" I yelled and chased after him and Aang, who were now both running after the Lemur.

"Wait! Come back!" Aang called out to the lemur

"I wanna eat you!" Sokka shouted after the poor animal.

"Guys!!" I called out racing after them. I saw Sokka try and fail to trip Aang who ran on the wall before using his air bending to race ahead, then he turned around briefly and made a ball of wind to knock over Sokka. I used my staff as a pole vault, flinging myself over the water tribe boy before I could trip over him, continuing after Aang. Soon we reached the end of the hallway, leading to a kind of balcony with a surrounding railing, Sokka was hot on my heels.

"Food!!" he called out.

"Leave him alone Sokka!" I called out swinging my staff at him, but he ducked.

"Not a chance!" He laughed as Aang jumped over the railing after the Lemur who flew off. I used my staff to vault over the edge after them.

"Hey no fair!!" Sokka cried out as Aang bounded down the rocks. I used my staff to land and push myself off of the rocks before my own body could hit them, like a series of pole vaults as I used my staff to fling me from one rock to the next on my way down while slowing my fall with each impact. I landed on the ground with a roll and continued forward. Aang laughed racing ahead.

"Nice one princess! Come on, before Sokka catches up with us." he said with a grin.

"There he is!" I called out and Aang pounced, but the lemur escaped into some sort of hut, past purple curtains or maybe this was once a kind of tent? I pushed back the cloth following Aang inside.

"Come on out little Lemur." Aang said. "That hungry guy wont bother you anymore." Aang said as he pushed back the final curtains. I gasped walking in with him.

"Fire benders? They were here?" Aang said walking in, me behind him. Suddenly he stopped, eyes going wide at one skeleton of a monk. I recognized the necklace it held, the same one as on the statue of monk Gyatsu. Aang collapsed to his knees, moaning in anguish.

"No." he whimpered, holding his head. I walked around in front of him, crouching down to face the boy.

"Aang." I said softly, sympathetically, reaching past his shoulder and placing a hand on his back.

"It's okay, Aang. He went down fighting for what he believed in. Look at all the fire nation he took out first. He was a great man Aang." I said gently. He just whimpered slightly as I pulled him towards me in a hug.

"Hey Aang, Princess, you guys find my dinner yet?" Sokka asked cheerfully as he popped in. I looked up at him somberly, My arms still around Aang as he moaned in agony, not quite crying.

"Aang, I wasn't really gonna eat the Lemur okay?" he said putting his hand on the boys shoulder, looking guilty

"It's not that." I said softly and the Sokka looked around us. Fire nation remains everywhere, and the deceased monk Gyatsu behind me.

"Oh man." Sokka said softly. "Come on Aang. Everything will be alright, let's get out of here." Suddenly, Aang's tattoos began to glow and He stood, the wind picking up around us.

"Aang come on!" Sokka yelled. "Snap out of it!"

"Aang it'll be okay!" I yelled griping his shoulders, but he wasn't listening and a sudden explosion of force from the wind sent me and Sokka flying backwards away from him. I slammed into the wall next to Gyatsu's skeleton, Sokka flying across the room to slam into another wall. I groaned sinking down, more or less pinned since I was so close to Aang, where all the main force was. My staff digging viciously into my back, stuck between me and the wall.

Aang was in a shield ball of air, and a tornado was starting to form around him, the wind gaining in strength and velocity. His air bending was out of control.

Katara arrived at the scene, and I could see her trying to talk to Sokka but I couldn't hear her over the roaring wind. But I guess it was something along the lines of I'm going to try and calm him down, because she was making her way towards Aang, but she only got so far before she was blown back again. I pulled out my staff and dug it in the ground between me and Aang and gripping it tightly, crawled forwards, using the staff for leverage since the wind was so strong.

"Aang it's okay!!" I shouted at him. He was beginning to float into the air, and on a last and desperate act I threw myself at him, wrapping my arms tightly around his torso. Now inside the calm of his storm I wasn't being battered by the wind so there was no risk of being blown back. On the other hand, Aang was rising off the ground and I had to hold on tightly or fall and get caught up by his raging wind storm.

"Aang I know you're upset!" Katara called out to him, "And I know how hard it is to lose the people you love! I went through the same thing when I lost my mom."

"Monk Gyatsu and the other air benders may be gone. " I told Aang in his ear. "but you still have a family."

"Jin, Sokka and I, we're your family now even though Gyatsu is gone!" Katara called out, without even realizing it she was building off of my words and with out even hearing me since I was talking quietly in the boys ear. even without the howling wind she wouldn't have been able to hear my murmurs, the girl had an amazing intuition.

"You still have us." I told him firmly, and the winds slowly began to relax as we lowered to the ground.

"You're not alone Aang." I said as we came down gently, now standing.

"Katara, the Princess and I aren't going to let anything happen to you. Promise." Sokka said as I released Aang, Katara taking his hand as he stood there slightly limp, head down. The tattoos stopped glowing and he collapsed, Katara catching him.

"I'm sorry." Aang said his voice full of sadness and regret.

"It's okay." Katara told him "It wasn't your fault."

"But you were right," Aang said quietly, "and if Fire benders found this temple, that means they found the other ones too. I really am the last air bender." Katara just hugged him tighter.

Sometime latter and we were all packed up and ready to leave. Katara and I went to go fetch Aang.

"Every thing's packed, you ready to go?" Katara asked as we walked up behind Aang; he was staring up at Rouku's statue.

"How's Rouku supposed to help me if I can't talk to him?" Aang asked.

"I'm sure you'll find a way." I say putting my hand on his shoulder.

"yeah..." Aang trailed off.


End file.
